afterparty 3: do you see the light ahead?

[crossingout]

[ After everyone is brought back up, Zange quickly goes ahead to write a message to everyone and puts it under their doors - except Zack, because she know he can't read, saying: ]

Due to the loss of our friends, whom we shall meet once again, I will perform rites of passing in room twenty-two. Do not speak of this to anybody over the phones. And whoever is reading this and wishes to bring Zack along, please do.

Food will be served for the evening, although you are free to bring food yourself or anything else that you think may be vital.

- Zange

[ And of course she plans on carrying out exactly what she's said, cooking quite a lot for everyone that decides to come. As for Zange herself? She's already in her transformed state over her normal day-to-day form. She won't start the ritual until everyone is here, but she's definitely preparing for it. If you can consider her writing down notes in a diary "preparation". ]

Comments

[buylowsellhigh]

[Recette is here still looking rather sick from Tamamo's execution.]

[zackthekiller]

[She's going to hate him, he's half sure of that, but he's also looking at the poor girl and feeling pity. With a bit of reluctance, he walks up to her and taps her on the shoulder.]

You alright, kid?

[buylowsellhigh]

[Recette startles at the tap, but relaxes once she see's it's Zack. She's not happy about everything he did... but he's still one of the people she trusts the most here.]

I... dunno. I'm glad we didn't get the wrong person this time, but everything that happened was....

[She shivers.]

I dunno if i'll ever be able to look at cake the same again.

[The real tragedy of this.]

[zackthekiller]

[Cake?]

[He giggles bitterly, knowing that can't be the reason she's upset.]

Don't think of it too much, kid. She could have been executed in worse ways.

[Fox hunting, anyone?]

[buylowsellhigh]

Ugh!

[Recette pulls a face at that.]

Bleh.... I guess so but... aw geez now I'm thinking about it!

[zackthekiller]

Then don't think too hard about it?

[Zack has seen plenty of shit, and he's coping sort of well.]

[Speaking of seeing shit, Zack hears someone yelling at him and looks up to see the marshmallow army launch an assault on Suzy. Zack can't help but laugh.]

Look! It's the attack of the marshmallows!

[buylowsellhigh]

Kay. I'll try.

[Recette turns around to look at the marshmallows assaulting Suzy. Recette can't hold back her laughter, it's just too ridiculous.]

Eheh, what did Suzy do to trigger that? It looks so silly!

[zackthekiller]

I have no idea. But it's funny as hell!

[He thinks maybe it was Suzy's threat...? Nah. Marshmallows just hate him.]

[buylowsellhigh]

Heh...

[Awkward silence follows once she stops laughing at Suzy. Recette takes a deep breath and speaks up.]

So um.... that trial, huh? I guess Suzy's not gonna be like.... forgiving and stuff.

[zackthekiller]

... Nope.

[He isn't expecting any sympathy.]

[buylowsellhigh]

.... I'm mad and stuff. But I'm not gonna stop hanging around you. You're like... I dunno... an older brother or something to me. I don't have any siblings, Dad left, and the closet thing I have to family is Tear, who might be in danger 'cause of the whole hostage thing.

[She sighs.]

So I don't want you to do something that'll get you... executed. Probably like.... cut to ribbons with a scythe or something.

[Zack Confetti.]

I mean... I like really super appreciate that you were gonna own up to it if you were like... successful and stuff. But, It got me thinking. When you like asked me to take care of Eliza's Pokemon if you died, was that because you knew you were gonna do that?

CW: Abuse

[zackthekiller]

... You too, huh? You're lucky you got looked after by a fairy.

[He doesn't mention the orphanage, or the asshole who burnt him alive.]

[And he can think of worse punishments, thanks to the other floor masters. Zack confetti is the least of your worries.]

... Yeah. I knew you would be able to keep them safe...

[He's not used to being the older brother figure, even though this is the second girl who has seen him like that. Why do kids like being around someone as horrible as him?]

[buylowsellhigh]

.... Do you think it's bad I don't mind him leaving? I only met Tear when she came to collect on the debt three months after he left. I never would have opened up Recettear to pay off the debt that got transferred to me if he had not decided to go on an adventure and be a 'hero'. I wouldn't have made all the adventurer friends I have if he didn't leave.

I feel kinda bad for only being embarrassed and wanting to move onto the next floor when we found him in a dungeon. It was super embarrassing seeing him get his butt kicked by an weak monster.

[He.... is just embarrassing to her now.]

Oh... I guess it's nice to know you trusted me with that.

[zackthekiller]

[Zack tries not to laugh. He really does, but a slight chuckle.]

Pffft. Yeah, you're better off without the old man.

[Yeah, much better than Zack's parents.]

Well, yeah! I thought you might need protection too.

[buylowsellhigh]

Ehehe...

[Hearing verbal confirmation of ones thoughts is always nice.]

Yeah... I know I'm probably one of the most easily killable people left alive right now.

[zackthekiller]

... Yep, at the rate things are going, you're gonna need all the help you can get.

[For it is true, the little item shop keeper is the most vunerable one here. She must be protected at all costs.]

[buylowsellhigh]

Yeah... but hey, I got you, Lady Edna, Eruna, and Taiki. So... I think I'm not too scared.

[zackthekiller]

[She... Really thinks of him like someone who will protect her? Even after what happened?]

... Thanks.

[In a way, she was right.]

[buylowsellhigh]

No problem!

[Trust is hard to break for her. Even if he is a stabby serial killer, he's her older brother figure stabby serial killer.]

[zackthekiller]

[That's actually kind of touching. How does Zack respond to that?]

Uh... Think we should go to the apartments soon and see if the blood washes out of my magical robe?

[That sounded better in his head.]

[buylowsellhigh]

Yeah.... yeah let's do that.

[It's up in the air if they actually manage too or not.]

[zackthekiller]

[Well, looks like Zack was dragged to the after party. He's pretty sure nobody wants to kill him in front of everyone gathered, but he's decided to remain in magical form in case anyone tried anything funny.]

[He's in the back of the room, waiting for the angry mob...]

[perfectbeing]

[Although Szayel hasn't been one for afterparties, he attends this one specifically to lie in wait for Zack to show his face. There's no way he's letting any of what he discovered at the trial slide.

It's true that it would be ridiculous to attempt something here, and Szayel is fully aware of that. But it doesn't stop him from at least shoving his unsheathed sword in front of Zack's face in a threatening manner.]

Nice try.

[While he's got that usual condescending smirk on his face, his tone is filled with malice and masked rage. It's pretty clear he's been ruminating on this since the first day of the trial.]

sur...prise??

[raisingproject]

[And apparently right when he makes the attempt to shove that sword in Zack's direction, he might notice that there's a floating marshmallow - you know, one of those big ones - going towards the direction of Szayel's sword.

...what?]

Re: sur...prise??

[zackthekiller]

[You know, Zack was gonna just glare at Suzy and spit petty insults at him.]

[He did not expect the giant marshmallow showing up out of nowhere.]

... Okay?

[Sorry, he's distracted by the marshmellow. It makes no sense.]

[perfectbeing]

[Um.

"What," is right.

Szayel also gives a moment of pause from his confrontation to observe the marshmallow, just to see what it does next.]

[raisingproject]

[It's aiming for your sword, Szayel. In fact, it will land right there, trying to cover the sword's tip. You're welcome.]

[perfectbeing]

[Oh come on. Is this for real? Let him have his moment, mysterious marshmallow!

He's going to make an attempt to pull his sword back and slash the marshmallow in half out of retaliation.]

[raisingproject]

[Rest in pieces, poor marshmallow... of course it takes a few seconds when the marshmallow hits the floor, but soon enough, whatever pieces are left of it are floating once again and thrown towards Szayel's face.

Have fun with that.]

[zackthekiller]

[Uh... You have fun with that.]

[Zack's just gonna sneak off while Suzy's distracted. One of his buddies doesn't look so good.]

[perfectbeing]

[Okay, what the fuck. While the origins of this animated marshmallow are unclear, he can tell this thing is deliberately trying to get him to stop his confrontation with Zack and that just makes him even more pissed. The guy was clearly out to kill him the other day!!

As he angrily shoves the marshmallow bits out his face, he shouts after Zack.]

Where do you think you're going? I'm not finished with you!

[This is going so well.]

[raisingproject]

[It's okay, Syazel, because you know what? There's more marshmallows where that came from. No, seriously. More floating marshmallows are being tossed in his direction. Seems like you've pissed the marshmallow gods.]

[perfectbeing]

[IT'S NOT OKAY.

THIS IS THE FURTHEST FROM OKAY.

The marshmallows are getting sliced the fuck up before Szayel ends up pausing his retaliation for the time being. That is to say, he returns to his untransformed state on the verge of a fit.

He's obviously going to get nowhere unless he takes a step back and thinks about a way around this, though. And he'll have plenty of time to give Zack a piece of his mind. Those marshmallows, though...he can't help but find himself thinking back to the letters at the trial.

If it's what he's considering, that makes things all the more bothersome for him.]

[raisingproject]

[After all of that trouble of destroying the delicious sweets, nothing happens. Seems like the marshmallow gods have mercy on you...for now, at least.]

[theotherother]

[Unlike last week, Kaine'll attend this one. He's probably not going to eat after that mess, he's lost his appetite for a while. But he's here, that counts for something, right?

No, probably not, he's thinking about heading back actually, but he feels he should stick around for things this time. Especially after missing the last one.]